Dance in the Dark
by BornThisWay
Summary: Candice Michelle is sick of Melina insinuating she's a tramp simply because she posed naked for Playboy. When a massive cat fight between the pair breaks out backstage, who will be there to save Candice from Mel? Rated M for gratuitous language use.


This is for Jess, who was having a pretty bad day yesterday by anyone's standards. JessicaHardy is a regular reviewer of mine who also makes WICKED COOL John and Melina graphics for me even when they're not her favourite pair.

Hopefully your day improved!

I wanted to bring bad ass Melina back so I did. God I miss her as a heel. This one shot takes place after the March 19 edition of Raw in 2007 after Melina beat Candice in a bra and panties match.

Oh and Eve? Maryse? THIS is a cat fight. It's also fiction - the opinions written here are based on a small element of truth and do not reflect that of the individuals in real life.

I own nothing you recognise. Dance in the Dark remains the property of the stunning Ms Lady Gaga.

* * *

_Some girls won't dance to the beat of the track_

_She won't walk away_

_But she won't look back_

_She looks good_

_But her boyfriend says she's a mess_

_She's a mess_

_She's a mess_

_Now the girl is stressed_

Candice Michelle paced the length of the Diva's locker room, absolutely infuriated that Melina had managed to beat her once again in the ring. God, how she wished she could shut that little bitch up. Melina's little blogging tirade was really beginning to get on her nerves.

So what if she wanted to pose for Playboy?

It was her body.

She was entitled to do with it as she wished.

She looked damn fine and there was no way in _hell _she was going to let Perez rain on her parade.

"Nice job out there Michelle. Is that the best you've got?"

Candice turned, a scowl on her face. Figures. She couldn't even get a moments peace.

"What the fuck is it to you Melina?"

Raw's self proclaimed most Dominant Diva snorted, idly examining her manicure as she leaned on the door frame across the room. "You said you could beat me. I'm waiting."

_She's a mess_

_She's a mess_

_She's a mess_

_She's a mess_

_(Tell em', girls)_

A feral snarl ripped through the empty locker room as Candice launched herself at Melina, knocking the Woman's Champion sideways into the hallway. Melina screeched as she hit her head on the linoleum floor, distracting Candice as the Go Daddy Diva winced in pain. Rolling her over, Melina straddled the younger woman, swiping at her face as she dug her nails into Candice's shoulder.

"Fuck, Melina!" Candice spat. "Get off of me!"

Melina smirked, her eyes dark. "I thought you could beat me. Right? Look at you. You're pathetic. You can't even get the upper hand in a cat fight."

"The hell I can't!"

Kicking up her heel, Candice nailed Melina in the back of the head. Melina winced, used to this kind of punishment in the ring. It would take more than a kick to the head to bring her down. Her arm snapped back to grab Candice's ankle, twisting it backward while her other hand travelled to Candice's throat, trying to choke her. The brunette's eyes bulged as she gasped for breath, reaching up to rake Melina in the eye. Melina growled as the pair rolled across the floor, Candice's hand now trapped in her hair as she yanked it at the root.

"Get your fucking hands off my hair you tramp!"

Candice rolled Melina over so that this time she was on top. Prising Melina's hand off of her throat she rasped. "Stop fucking choking me and I will!"

Torrie Wilson turned the corner and almost toppled over the pair as they scrapped in the corridor. A broad smile spread across her face as she jumped backward to avoid being drawn into the fray. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The other Diva's began to crowd around as Melina and Candice continued to beat on each other, the majority urging them on, half wanting Candice to smack Melina down, the other half wanting Candice taken out of commission completely. It was only when Mickie James and Victoria arrived that they quietened down, scattering to avoid the wrath of two of the female roster's most talented.

Victoria wasted no time jumping into the battle, attempting to pull her friend off of the former Diva Search hopeful before she did some serious damage. "Melina! Let her go!"

"No!"

Mickie sprinted off to the men's locker room returning with Melina's boyfriend Johnny Nitro.

"Do something!"

_Baby loves to dance in the dark_

'_Cuz when he's lookin'_

_She falls apart_

_Baby loves to dance in the dark_

Johnny sighed, moving over to the girls and removing Melina from the equation. Lifting her off of Candice he narrowly avoided being nailed in the gut, both woman's arms flailing. Pinning her arms behind her, he held her to his chest as she kicked at the air, desperate to get back in the action. "Mel," he gritted his teeth as he tried to contain her. "Calm down!"

"Why should I?" Melina spat. "She started it!"

Victoria and Mickie had Candice between them, the latter holding her nose as blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. "I started it?" Candice gasped in disbelief as she tried to regain her breath. "Bullshit!"

"You fucking launched yourself across the room and attacked me!"

"Like this?" Wrestling her arms free from her captives, Candice launched herself at Melina again, this time missing completely as Johnny dragged her out of harm's way. Frustrated, Candice turned around and headed for them again. "I see how it is - you've got to hide behind your little boyfriend so that I don't completely tear you apart!"

"You're lucky he's here to hold me back Candice," Melina seethed. "Your head wouldn't be the only thing that's bleeding if he wasn't!"

"Mickie!" Johnny shouted as Victoria struggled to restrain Candice for the second time. "Go back to the locker room and get some back up would you?"

The former Champion was hightailing it down the hallway before he had even finished speaking.

_Run run_

_Her kiss is a vampire grin_

_The moon lights her way while she's howlin' at him_

_She looks good_

_But her boyfriend says she's a tramp_

_She's a tramp_

_She's a vamp_

_But she still does her dance_

_She's a tramp_

Victoria yelped as Candice smacked her with an errant elbow, dying to get free. Melina's face was bright red, her temper about to reach breaking point as Candice inadvertently hurt her friend.

"Candice!" Victoria wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, tempted to stick her in a headlock until the cavalry arrived. "What the hell is this all about?"

"She called me a tramp!" Candice burst out as footsteps sounded behind them.

"That was after you attacked me you imbecile!" Melina had stilled somewhat in Johnny's arms, breathing heavily to try and calm herself down. "You fucking threw yourself at me!"

Candice snorted. "You _wish _I threw myself at you!"

Melina crinkled up her nose in obvious disgust. "Oh no you didn't! I COULD never and WOULD never be that desperate!"

_She's a vamp_

_But she still kills the dance_

_(Tell em', girls)_

"Someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Victoria craned her neck to see who was speaking, giving Candice the opportunity to break free and catch both Melina and Johnny off guard. Quickly gathering her wits, Melina struck Candice in the face before being tackled to the floor for the second time. Melina's head slammed back against a storage chest, the Woman's Champion crying out in pain as she crumpled to the ground.

"Mel!" Johnny was at her side in an instant as genuine tears began to spill down her face. She shook her head slightly as if to shake away the cobwebs before stumbling to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him woozily as Candice paused, worried she had seriously injured her co-worker. "But she isn't!"

Candice shrieked as she was shoved into the wall, Melina grabbing a handful of her hair and repeatedly slamming her head backward onto the concrete. Lifting her arms to shield her face she managed to twist Melina's wrist yet that only seemed to make her angrier. Mickie squeaked as the newcomer shoved her and Victoria out of the way to secure Candice.

"Nitro!" Randy Orton barked. "Get your fucking girl off of her! She's gonna cause some serious damage!"

Openly sobbing at this point, Candice was ready to admit defeat. "Stop it! Fuck Melina, stop! I admit it! You can beat me!"

"Damn right I can," Melina shot back as Johnny swooped in to carry her backward. This time she didn't protest, feeling satisfied that she had gotten the response she was looking for. "Just because you look half decent in a bikini DOESN'T mean you can step into that ring and expect me to take you seriously! Jesus girl! Learn to wrestle before you start shooting your fucking mouth off!"

"I CAN wrestle," Candice cried as she cowered against Randy.

"No, you can't!" Sensing Melina was about to explode once more Johnny tightened his grip on her hips. "You know, what, maybe three of four moves? When you manage to string them together with some basic technique and you figure out how to make yourself look good out there _without _totally burying your opponent? THEN we'll talk."

Randy ran his hands down Candice's back gently, trying to get her to settle. She was shaking, rattled at the beating she had just received. Melina was right; Candice had a couple of moves but she was nowhere near ready to take on Melina one on one in a fight, backstage and unsanctioned of all things. "Candy," he murmured. "Settle down doll. Getting yourself even more upset isn't going to help any."

Lifting her head off of his chest Candice sniffled. "I fucking hate her. I lost my match and I'll cry if I want too."

_Baby loves to dance in the dark_

'_Cuz when he's lookin'_

_She falls apart_

_Baby loves to dance in the dark (Tell em', girls)_

_In the dark_

_She loves to dance in the dark_

_In the dark_

_She loves, she loves to dance in the dark_

The Legend Killer chuckled, pressing his lips to the side of Candice's temple. "Fair enough. I'd be pretty shitty too."

"I want an apology," Melina interrupted stubbornly. "You attacked me for no reason!"

"Don't play innocent Perez," Candice replied throatily, evidence of Melina's chokehold still present on her neck . "You were asking for it!"

"Oh yeah," the Latina rolled her eyes. "I go out there to do my job. I win my match. I don't strip down to sweet fuck all to show the entire world my body and I'M asking for it. Right."

"This is what this is all about?" Randy asked incredulously. "That stupid Playboy shoot?"

Candice stiffened, shoving him away as she stepped to the side, absolutely seething. "It is NOT stupid! It's MY body. If I want to show it off, I will! I'm proud of the way I look!"

"Candice," Johnny intercepted smoothly. "Randy didn't mean it like that, right man?" At the former champion's nod he continued. Melina opened her mouth to object yet her boyfriend silenced her, gesturing that he wanted to continue. "He means it's stupid because the two of you keep fighting over it. It's not even the real issue anymore, is it?" The two woman glared at each other, keeping quiet. "Is it, Melina?"

_Marilyn_

_Judy_

_Sylvia_

_Tell em' how you feel girls!_

"No," she grumbled. "I mean, yeah, Candice, if you want to show your body off, that's fine. I personally think it's pretty whorish, but if you want to come off as a total skank, then be my guest," Melina smirked. "It's not my fault you don't have any morals or self-respect."

Johnny and Randy rolled their eyes in unison.

"What Melina is _trying_ to say," Johnny said tiredly. "Is that she was offended by the way you assume you could step into the ring and compete with someone of her calibre with limited training. It took her years to get where she is in this business and she doesn't take things like that lightly. Right Mel?"

Imitating her boyfriend she rolled her eyes, leaning her back against his chest and wrapping his arm around her waist. "Right."

"You've got to understand Candice," Randy interjected. "Melina and I have been wrestling for years. We worked our arses off to get here. Nitro, well, he won some sort of contest but I can't deny he gets in there and works twice as hard as far the guys in that locker room."

"Gee thanks Orton."

"Shut up Johnny," Randy snapped as he took Candice's hand. Surprised, she tried to remove it, only to have him lace his fingers with hers. "Point is, when Melina gets in that ring she wants to put on the best match possible. She said you have some moves. You just gotta work a bit harder."

Candice's nostrils flared. "How can I when she won't even give me the time of day?"

"You never asked me for help," Melina spoke up quietly. "I have no problem giving you an assist if you're prepared to work for it. You were too busy trying to bury me online."

"You weren't exactly being an angel yourself," Candice bit snidely.

"No, I wasn't," Melina acknowledged as she straightened her back and pushed her shoulder back. "But I can back up everything I ever said in that ring, at anytime, on any given day and you know it Candice."

"Oh right, I forgot you were perfect," the brunette muttered. "So sorry your highness."

The Woman's Champion sneered, seeing red. "Fuck you, you attention seeking fame whore."

"Mel, forget about it. Let's just go." Johnny cut in. "You hit your head pretty hard. Let me get you checked out. Come on," he added when she began to refuse as he led her away. "You proved your point. Later Randy."

"See ya man," Randy nodded. He watched them leave before glancing down at his companion.

"We need to talk."

_Work your blonde (Jean) Benet Ramsey_

_We'll haunt like liberace_

_Find your freedom in the music_

_Find your Jesus_

_Find your kubrick_

_You will never fall apart_

_Diana, you're still in our hearts_

_Never let you fall apart_

_Together we'll dance in the dark_

"I have nothing to say to you Randy. I don't even know why you came out here to help me." Candice replied frostily, taking the pent up aggression she was feeling toward Melina and dishing it out to him. "Why _did _you come out here to help me?"

Randy shrugged. "Someone had too."

"Funny."

"Look, Candice. I know you remember what happened between us in Chicago last year after Wrestlemania. We hooked up. It was a great night. What I don't get, is why you took off the next morning without saying a word. I thought I meant something to you."

"A-huh. Sure," Candice nodded slowly. She remembered. All to well actually. She had been one hundred percent sober when it had happened and one hundred percent ashamed that she had become just another name on the Legend Killer's list the next morning. "What did you expect me to do? Stick around so you could blow me off to my face? I know you Orton. You have a litany of women lining up at your door at any given time. What makes me any different than any of them?"

Randy's face paled. "That's real crappy Candy."

"It's CANDICE!" She snapped back. "Only my friends get to call me Candy! You, are not my friend."

"No, I'm not." Randy took a step closer to her, cupping her cheek in his palm. "I was hoping to be something a little more than that actually. I don't want to be your friend Candice. I want more than that with you." Candice's eyelids fluttered shut as his hot breath washed over her face. "You're different to every single one of those woman. You're different because I want you to be. Because I want YOU. They're in the past. I want you to be my future."

"You're just saying that," she mumbled weakly. The close proximity of their bodies was making her feel a little faint. Their fingers were still interlocked, his thumb moving in small circles on the back of her hand. "Why should I believe you?"

"Give me five reasons as to why you shouldn't," he breathed. "And I swear I'll let this go. I won't bother you again. If you give me a chance, I promise that I will be faithful to you. Even if you do want to parade yourself on the cover of that shitty magazine, I'm not going anywhere."

"What do you have against Playboy," Candice swallowed headily. "It's a perfectly legit shoot."

"Oh yeah," Randy frowned as he removed his hand and leant down to kiss her neck. "I want millions of guys ogling my woman's bare naked body. Are you crazy?"

"I'm nobodies woman Randy," She moaned, any objections she had to being near him flying out the nearest window. Her grip tightened on his hand, the second generation wrestler spinning her around so he could press her firmly against the wall. "You can't claim me," she mumbled. "Not yet anyway."

The hand that had been cupping her cheek now rested on her hip. "No? What's it gonna take?"

"… I'm … thinking," Candice murmured. "Can I get back to you?"

"Yeah." Lifting his head, he stopped lavishing attention on her neck so that he could meet her gaze. "I guess you can. Can I … Can I kiss you?"

"You've never asked before-" she began to reply as he swept in and caught her mouth with his own. Candice blinked, unable to control herself as her body began to respond to his ministrations. Closing her eyes she wrapped her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to let him in. Lifting their conjoined hands he broke away from her lips to kiss her knuckles, kissing the scrapes Melina had left earlier. "Okay," she said shakily. "I'm pretty sure that it's gonna take some more of those kisses."

Randy smirked. "How many?"

Chewing her bottom lip, she spun out of arms and began to stalk down the hall. Her hips swayed side to side as she walked, knowing she had his full attention.

"Where you going Candice?"

"Well," she pursed her lips as she turned to face him. "We could stand there and think about it some more … or we could head to your locker room and find out. You in?"

Randy licked his lips, snapping off a mock salute. "Yes Ma'am."

_Baby loves to dance in the dark_

'_Cuz when he's lookin'_

_She falls apart_

_Baby loves to dance in the dark_

_

* * *

_

_Please Review._


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